Thayer, Linden

PhD candidate
Department of Nutrition – Nutrition Intervention and Policy
Gillings School of Global Public Health

Linden is a doctoral student in Nutrition Intervention and Policy interested in creating and supporting healthy food systems, and understanding how better education/communication can promote human (especially children and families) and environmental health. At the UNC Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Linden is involved in evaluation of a healthy school meals and social marketing pilot program in Rockingham County, and community-based participatory research (CBPR) in Lenoir County around heart health and health promotion (including Project D.I.G. at Contentnea-Savannah School, the Lenoir County Childhood Obesity Task Force, and Photovoice research with Lenoir County teens). At Self Help, Linden is working with the commercial loan program to increase the public health impact of loans to healthy food systems-related businesses. In her own research, she is exploring ways to better engage parents in school-based nutrition and gardening programs to improve child and family health, one beet at a time. Prior to moving to Chapel Hill, Linden taught nutrition, fitness, and mental health in New York City public schools as a HealthCorps coordinator. Outside of the office, Linden is an avid community gardener and composter.